289th Quartermaster Company Deploys to Iraq

By Pfc. Amy M. LaneJuly 9, 2010

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1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Approximately 130 Soldiers from the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), deployed to Iraq July 3. The unit held a farewell ceremony for the friends... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Hundreds of friends, families, and Soldiers filled the Kieschnick physical fitness center July 1 at Fort Hood, Texas for a farewell ceremony for approximately 130 Soldiers from the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battali... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Anjeanette Lawson, commander of the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and approximately 130 of her Soldiers salute the American flag durin... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Approximately 130 Soldiers from the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), deployed to Iraq July 3. The unit held a farewell ceremony for the friends... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Anjeanette Lawson, commander of the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and approximately 130 of her Soldiers stand in formation during a fa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT HOOD, Texas - Friends, family members and fellow Soldiers filled the Kieschnick physical fitness center to say farewell to the 289th Quartermaster Company, 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion July 1.

"We will be in Balad and a few Soldiers will be in Mosul," said Capt. Anjeanette Lawson, commander of the 289th. "We will be in charge of an amnesty yard, a fuel farm and many other tasks."

Approximately 130 Soldiers from the unit, which falls under the 4th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), deployed to Iraq July 3.

"This unit is deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which later this year will become Operation New Dawn," said Lt. Col. Matt Melvin, battalion commander of the 553rd CSSB,. "My Soldiers are ready to go forward and do the nation's business and we should be proud."

Melvin said the battalion deploys its companies as individual units, and he said the last unit from the battalion returned from deployment in December. The 289th is starting the next round of deployments for the Leopard Battalion.

"You represent the battalion well with the professionalism and the true warrior spirit of every Soldier," he said. "You need to be proud of your dedication."

Melvin expressed his confidence in his Soldiers, stating that they are trained and ready to go.

"As Soldiers in this great battalion, we are creating history today," he said. "In 10 or 20 years, people will be reading about this in history books and you are a part of that. I am confident that you will let everyone in Iraq know who we are and that you will all return safely."